5 comments about The Real James Herriot: A Memoir of My Father.

1. The book arrived in a timely manner in excellent condition. I am enjoying reading about the life of this gifted, gentle and compassionate man and his family and the descriptions of the countryside and the people of Yorkshire/Glasgow and that area. A good read to help me appreciate and aim for a slower, gentler pace of life.



2. This is a good peek into the true life of James Herriot as written by his son. His son gives his own views and anecdotes of James Herriot. I have really enjoyed reading it and getting to know the author and his characters better.



3. How often do we find that the man behind the myth isn't all he's cracked up to be? Well, that most definitely is NOT the case in this loving biography of the world's best-known vet, James Herriot, by his son Jim Wight. (If you're wondering about the different last names, it's because James Herriot was actually a pseudonym for James Alfred Wight, known all his life as Alf.) This is a tribute to a cherished father and, as the author notes, best friend who always considered himself "99 parts vet and 1 part author," which must be why he remained the decent and down-to-earth individual he was, unspoiled by fame and fortune that would have turned the head of a lesser man. I was moved to find that the individual was as nice if not nicer than portrayed in his books and as appreciated by his friends and family as he was by his fans. Anyone who loved the other main characters in the series, namely Siegfried and Tristan, will also enjoy discovering more about them as well. This is a wonderful, heartwarming, well-written biography of a remarkable human being by one of those who knew him best.



4. In addition to answering many questions you might have, this book also fills in gaps you probably don't know exist.
   
   An excellent chronological biography for the lover of all things James Herriot.



5. I was hoping to learn more about the characters and relationships of the main human characters in the real life. Unfortunately, the book did not offer much in this respect. There was much repetition of the stories that a good Herriot fan would already know well from his books. I got an impression that in real life the relationships of the partners in the practice were less charming than in the books and TV series. But the book still was fun to read.

5 comments about Come Back: A Mother and Daughter's Journey Through Hell and Back (P.S.).

1. Wow! I am one of those people that always has a book in her hand and I have to say, this is the BEST book I've read in years. It is all together brutally HONEST, FUNNY and HEART-WARMING. The writing was PHENOMENAL. And the people in the book were all so REAL and LOVABLE. Just like the person in the last review, I absolutely could not put this book down. I was actually upset when I got to my subway stop and would have to stop reading for 5 minutes. Now that I have finished Comeback, all I can do is hope that Claire and Mia Fontaine PUT OUT ANOTHER BOOK - Please! and soon! I can't wait to hear more. I really miss Claire and Mia.



2. In a world that obsesses over teen-age addiction and which paints the Britneys, Lindsays, Amys and Olsens as glamorous beauty queens with tragic yet excusable addictions, it is both heart breaking and heart warming to read about an honest-to-goodness real girl who overcomes both a difficult childhood and substance abuse and obtains love and stability on her own terms. Mia is relatable; her writing is accessable to youngsters who are tired of preachy "don't do what I did" stories. Instead, she inspires "problem teens" to go through their own transformative journey, no matter how many years or how many continents the journey may take. The reader is left knowing that Mia will obtain great things, because Mia will now allow herself to.



3. The first part of this book was very interesting and some of the facts I found so hard to believe can happen in America. Living in California and raising teens here it makes me ashamed to live in such a liberal state, where parents really have No Rights. For that and some of the things about the drug world I really got an education. The book went downhill for me when Mia went into treatment for years it seemed. The book really seemed to drag on and on with Mother and daughter analyzing every detail of their lives. I felt more compassion for Claire's Mother, than I did for Clair. I tended to skip a lot toward the end of the story. It is an o.k. read just not riveting



4. I bought this book on a whim about 6 months ago and shelved it in hopes I would get around to reading it someday. That someday happened over the last 18 hours. Although not an easy read by any mean, I have never been so drawn into a memoir so deeply and hurt so much as I was while reading this book. Mother and daughter seamlessly intertwine their stories together and I felt as though I was there throughout their struggles... laughing and crying and working through the demons in my own closet. Their openness and vulnerability made me commit to trying to correct the path I am already leading my own young daughter down and I thank them for opening my eyes before it was already too late.



5. This story saddened, surprised, shocked and touched me. When my book club read this early last year, I wasn't able to attend, so I shelved the book. Am I glad I dedided to pick it up a year later. I feel like I learned a lot about relationships from hearing this mother/daughter story. It reminds us all to hope and stay strong in any family crisis because afterall, blood is thicker than water!

5 comments about The Accidental Asian: Notes of a Native Speaker.

1. Eric Liu presumes to represent all Asian Americans in this short sighted and pretentious memoir. However, he only represents himself, as most of the "Asian American traits" he writes about are simply reflections of his moderate middle class views and life.
   
   Liu seems to be trying to separate two parts of the Asian American identity: the Asian and American sides. Though is quick to defend himself after writing about Asian American issues and stereotypes, begging to clarify that he is not the same, he subsequently attempts to evoke "sameness" when asking other Asian Americans to see things from his viewpoint. I couldn't stand that he seemed to want to speak for all Asian Americans. His advice could have been left out, with only his history making up the bulk of the book, and it would have been interesting and insightful. Instead, it was borderline offensive. He needs to stop speaking for all Asian Americans and giving terrible advice.



2. An essay collection on the Chinese American experience, that seems, by its title, to be modeled after James Baldwin's seminal NOTES OF A NATIVE SON. In many ways, especially in the earlier essays, Liu reaches a similar level of discourse, with broad historical strokes, and deeply literary, informed and informative poetic writing. Insightful and well-spoken words for the Asian American dichotomy of experiences, and includes powerful and moving sketches, most especially about Liu's father in the first essay. Youthful, searching, contemporary and intelligent.



3. I accidentally read this book but unfortunately found I dislike it. As a Chinese who speaks and write imperfect English, I have read lots of books on Asian American history and memoirs. But I found Eric Liu, while trying to show off his ability to be assimilated and his desire to be accecpted by White American culture, does not really try to understand other Chinese including his own families. For example, when he describes his grandma, he does not show interest in her story and experience and share her opinions, because for what she talks about-Chinese and Taiwanese politics,Hong Kong pop stars, etc., he did not have interest. And he did not speak and read Chinese very well himself. He describes the grandma who has a rich experience, opinion and courage as if she was a mummy, just because she was not well adjusted to the new environment as himself. When Eric Liu describes New York's Chinatown, it seems that he was more American and Americans--it was noisy, "they" looked funny, everything there was exotic...He looks at Chinatown not as a native Chinese who respects and sympathizes people living there, in spite of their somewhat unbecoming habbits, but like cityboy going to the countrysiade for the first time and cried,oh, they are so dirty. "we are Chinese, but we still outsiders", he said. He obviously exaggrated the diffrence between his family and Chinatown people. But if his own family was so elitist, why was he never trained by parents to write a thank you note?
   To be sure, I agree that American born Asians should identify with American culture and be more involved in politics, as Liu sugguests. But Liu is just too proud and pretentious. For Chinese American exprience, I would rather read Joy Luck Club.



4. Eric Liu wrote a memoir - he's entitled to his opinions - and he is not a self-hating Asian. Most of our problems stem from too much emphasis on race and race identity. I think we should all celebrate culture (not race) and diversity of culture (and not deny our culture) - but for those of us who feel that we're losing our parents' culture, we shouldn't feel too bad about it - because we're gaining another culture or developing a new kind or blend of culture (1.5 generation, etc.). Eric Liu mainly explores the question of what exactly Asian-American identity is. What's the point of trying to put ourselves into a box? It ends up being more restrictive and confining - and unnecessarily so. If you're Chinese or Taiwanese or Korean or whatever - learn to be comfortable with that - and with the fact that you're also American. In fact, to be American should not nullify your Chineseness. If you have been blessed with the opportunity (or the desire) to learn (and retain) your parents' language while growing up, be thankful for it and use it to help immigrants who really need help assimilating and adjusting to life in America. I think the group that needs advocacy is not the generation of Asians who have grown up as Asian Americans but the recent immigrants.
   
   The more important question is why this constant yearning for a sense of identity in all of us? And where do we truly get our sense of identity in a world of constant flux and change? If we fix our sense of identity on our culture, culture's bound to change, too. "On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand!"



5. The author gives an account of growing up in America as the child of Chinese immigrants from Taiwan. He mentions his awkward teenage years, attending Yale University, and choosing a career path different from that of the stereotypical Asian-American: Marine officer, political staffer, television commentator, and essayist.
   
   The first essay is a well-written, powerful tribute to the author's father, who immigrated to the United States and ultimately spending a majority of his life in his new country. This essay alone would prompt me to recommend this book to all immigrants and their children, Asian or otherwise.
   
   This book is at its best when the author reflects on his own life and identity. However, when he drifts into pondering questions on assimilation and "omniculturalism," he forgets that he speaks only for well-educated, upper-middle class Asians born in the United States. To uneducated fishermen, indentured domestic servants, restaurant workers, and other blue collar Asians, assimilation will be far more difficult, if not impossible. Because the author appears to ignore this and other barriers to assimilation, I have to disagree with his theory that today's Asians are the "New Jew."
   
   Overall, the book was a good read, and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in Asian-American culture. However, this book is hardly an authoritative look at Asian-Americans, and it only provides one man's perspective.

5 comments about Truck: A Love Story (P.S.).

1. "Truck: a Love Story" is a sweet and simple tale, filled with rich observations of life in a small rural town, told by the sort of man you always hoped would marry your sister. Perry comes across as kind and unassuming. He is in love with his town, his truck, and his simple way of life. There is more than meets the eye, however, as Perry's writing and style are articulate and erudite without being anachronistic. Perry manages to walk the difficult balance between being an easy going man and a deep-thinking philosopher of life. When all things are considered, "Truck: A Love Story" is a profound exposition on a way of existence that we have perhaps lost touch with in some parts of America.
   
   I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in remembering how to feel good about people, small towns, and life's simple pleasures all while having a few laughs at the same time.



2. I read Michaels' book with great interest. I found his story paralelling mine on many aspects. I could relate to the smallish town, the old truck, the unusual call hours of the life within his profession. As he balanced that with his passion for writing, and upon the decision of fixing that old heap, a newly found light shone through.
   
   It's a feel good, genuine book, about people, hope and second chances not only for the truck, but for Mike as well. Read it.



3. I gave it two stars instead of one because I have to admit that I could not bring myself to finish this book - I stopped short of halfway. I can also see how some people would like this book, but I simply can't relate to the main character, and frankly if I met him in real life I think I would be annoyed by him.
   
   Perhaps it's because it's about a complaining middle-aged single man, while I'm much younger and less single. While I generally appreciate self-deprecation, I found him wimpy. He's clueless under a hood, while I take pride in my mechanical prowess. He's agnostic and borderline offensive toward Christians, while I appreciate different faiths. He daydreams about traditional gender roles while apologizing profusely out of political correctness... wimp. His most likable feature: he's a former volunteer firefighter/EMT.
   
   Don't get this book for a real gearhead or for someone who will not appreciate philosophical ramblings.



4. I first read perry's Population 485 and fell in love with his quirky style and incredibly descriptive writing. He truly proves his caliber in Truck. A great read that I couldn't put down. I was fortunate to meet Mike at a book signing in Northfield, MN. He is so humble, and great to visit with. You truly meet the man in his writing.
   
   An incredible read. Highly recommended.



5. Another great one from Mike Perry! I'm a stoic, and I had tears in my eyes at times. Hilarious, moving, and honest - I'd read the phone book if it were written by Mike Perry.

5 comments about Off the Deep End.

1. This is a wonderful read! It is well-written, intelligent, and funny. I agree that this is a great read for Masters swimmers but also think it is a great read for any middle-aged person who decides that life is not on that downhill slide but rather that we can still accomplish tremendous things. Its about the joy of setting goals and then experiencing the day-to-day effort of working towards those goals - having a direction that is exciting.
   
   I have been really inspired by Dara Torres making the Olympic Team at 41 - I know a lot of people have also been inspired by her performance. What is more interesting to me is that I am also inspired by Hodding Carter and his efforts to make the Olympics - he didn't make them but his journey and where he ended up are really something. Well done!



2. As a Masters swimmer, I really enjoyed this book! I finished it in a couple of days and handed it off to one of our coaches, who really enjoyed it as well. I told the rest of the team to go buy the book... We have all had Olympic dreams of one sort or another and looking at someones thought process was really interesting. Plus, there are some really very funny parts of the book if you know anything about swimming, as well as some good training insights for those of us over 40. Good Luck Hodding!



3. Terribly written, going no where book, no plot no nothing. Appears to me that he wrote this book because he was broke by foolishily following his dream to swim in the olympics.



4. When I ordered this book, I was expecting sort of a literary reflection on swimming, discussing the experience of endless laps in ponderous prose. Of course, I forgot my experience of champion swimmers (driven, sometimes eccentric, sometimes manic, but not usually introspective). Actually, the book is more like a series of short stories about some interesting events in the course of the author's life over the last few years.
   
   In the course of reading, you get some nice introductions to modern thinking about swimming training and technique and some introductions to personalities in masters swimming and Olympians. Like the author, my only image of Mark Spitz growing up was the golden boy. Quite an eye-opener here!
   
   If you've enjoyed competitive swimming in your own past but have not kept up with the swimming world, I can say with certainty that you will like this book. If you haven't been a swimmer before, you can still enjoy it, as you don't need a lot of technical understanding to follow the stories.
   
   The fact that the book is written for and was released at just the right time to make a financial windfall in case the author qualifies for the 2008 Beijing Olympic trials is a little off-putting, but it doesn't really detract from the quality or the inherent interest of the vignettes.
   
   BTW, my sense is that the reviewer Geezerjock below just skimmed the book and missed the more important stories about the author beating his previous best times set when he was decades younger. In the future, when they have made more anti-aging technological breakthroughs, I think this book will be able to seen as a chronicle of someone living on the cusp of human transformation. The book does not make you cringe at every turn.



5. The book was fun and interesting to read; by the end you feel like W. Hodding Carter is one of your friends or team mates. I would suggest it for any Masters swimmer or for anyone for that matter who is striving for athletic goals against the odds.

5 comments about The I Chong: Meditations from the Joint.

1. This book is really a nice quick read which really has no focus. Well i take that back the focus seems to be on leading a more positive life. Not necessarily making better decisions, but being more content with your decisions.
   
   When i first picked up the book i expected a pro cannabis book criticizing the United States and it's drug policies with a little comedy thrown in. And while several times he makes this argument (sometimes rambling a little too much) there is much more to this book.
   
   I think Tommy decided to write this book to tell his life's story and how he has changed after the "Pipe Dreams" raid. While for some people this book might be all over the place i enjoy the "stoner" mind stream of jumping from one insightful story to one thrilling story. This book doesn't drag on much (except his 4-5 rants on the screwed up bush administration) and i think the length is perfect. It only takes a few nights of reading.
   
   I would recommend this book to anyone with an open mind or interests in the man behind the stoner from "Up in Smoke" and his other movies. 4 stars out of 5.



2. I loved this book! Tommy Chong is refreshing and surprisingly insightful! We could all learn something from his experience.



3. I'm not exactly sure what I expected from this book but, whatever it was, the author met those expectations and then exceeded them by a mile.
   
   The I Chong is funny, insightful, and smart. I left it with a great deal of respect for the author, not merely for his humor but also for the keenness of his insight into a surprising wide variety of issues. Wrapped around all of that is some surprisingly candid autobiographical sketches.
   
   I always knew that Tommy Chong was funny. I now realize that his intelligence and insight exceed his wit.



4. Great read. If you want the truth about whats going on then i highly recommend this book.



5. This is an excellent account of what Tommy Chong had to go through after the feds took down his glass pipe buisness and put him in jail. The book flows and you get Tommy's blow by blow of what occured to him. You see his genuine soft heart throughout the book as well as his endless love for his family. He makes great friends in the joint and also has some great stories to share as well. For anyone who thinks the money being paid on the war on drugs is a joke, this is a must read. Strongly liberal in its nature.

5 comments about Another Day in the Frontal Lobe: A Brain Surgeon Exposes Life on the Inside.

1. In general, this is the type of book I love - a first-hand account of someone's life and experiences. My favorite books in this genre offer both an account and a thoughtful exploration of the experiences. In the medical field, two of my favorite books are Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science by Atul Gawande and The Measure of Our Days: A Spiritual Exploration of Illness by Jerome Groopman.
   
   In my opinion, Another Day in the Frontal Lobe: A Brain Surgeon Exposes Life on the Inside by Katrina Firlik doesn't rise to that level. She is clearly a competent writer, and her discussions of some of the unusual cases she's attended are interesting, but many of the tangents in the book are considerably less thoughtful. Her descriptions of neurology conventions, for example, or her fictional account of the future of neurosurgery are not nearly as interesting as the actual patients with whom she's worked. Perhaps a stronger editorial hand would have improved the book.



2. This book was very enjoyable to read. I liked hearing about the field of neuro-surgery from a woman's perspective.



3. It is true this book is "breezy" and it is an "easy read" to quote some other reviews but it seems to be missing some sort of basic humanity. I think what bothered me most was the lack of follow-up on most of the stories of the patients. A few we find out that they "died" or "seem to be doing well" but for the most part the operation is done and you never find out the end results. The end result for me, a layperson, is the book isn't all that interesting. While I love the science aspect, and read for the science parts of it, I am not a scientist. I need the more human element to keep me involved. This book lacks that.
   
   My other issue is her running commentary on religion, god and belief. While I find it unsurprising that she is not a believer in a higher being I find her comments on it rather foolish, as if it is a given and not a topic that reasonable people can differ on. Einstein and Hawking both left the door open for god. I am not suggesting that she should be anything other than what she is in her belief, only that her lack of tolerance and "affection" for those of us so foolishly afflicted with a different opinion is rather grating.



4. Dr. Firlik performed neurosurgery on me a year ago, and gave me back my life. She freed me from the debilitating pain that had impaired all aspects of it. I was unaware of this book when I first engaged her to be my surgeon, but was comforted in hindsight that I had made such a wonderful choice of doctors. Her experience and skill brought me to a full recovery. This book both inspires and educates. I hope that you never need Dr. Firlik for yourself or a loved one, but be comforted in knowing that if you do, you couldn't be in better hands.



5. Despite Dr. Firlik's stream-of-conscious writing style, I found that her subject matter is excellent. I'm very frustrated with her writing style - she's all over the place with all kinds of side notes, flash backs, and other off-subject tales. However - I can't stop reading this book because I love learning about the human brain, medical technology, and the female perspective of life in a male-dominated career.

5 comments about Once Upon a Country: A Palestinian Life.

1. This is a memoir written by a professor of philosophy who is also the current president of Al Quds university in East Jerusalem.
   
   After getting through his father's history in the early chapters, University professor Sari Nusseibeh realizes the central problem between the Israeli and Palestinian coexistence: neither sides understanding of the other side. It takes him meeting Israeli students at college, and flying on an Israeli ariline, and teaching at Hebrew University before he begins to see the similarities between the two. And thats where he evolves his ideas about peace.
   
   A central concept of his is that both sides are allies, NOT enemies. He even goes as far to say that the two are more like allies than the united states/israel and palestinians/arab states are allies.
   
   Unfortunately as the occupation of the west bank and gaza continues throughout the 60s, 70s, and 80s, he sees a different kind of arab majority emerging from the areas, that is bent on the concept of eradicating the Jew, instead of working with. As his story progresses we see how the author gets involved in politics and attempts to keep the two state solution as a viable option, while trying to maintain his own logical understanding of what was transpiring.
   
   But as we come to the 2000s, Hamas gains most of the support of the palestinians, wins elections and violence ensues.
   
   The author is not hopeless. He does speak of trying to advocate a peaceful two-state solution by teaming up with Israelis in the Peace Now movement and in the government, to get the peace that both sides seek. He writes up a two state solution, that would allow Palestinians to have the borders from pre-1967, and allows palestinian refugees to return to palestinian areas, and Jews to jewish areas.
   
   Only concerns i have with his memoir book are of misrepresentations of Israeli actions. He states that the Israelis invaded Lebanon in 82 without "any bullets being shot from lebanon." That's misleading. The PLO were launching rockets into kiryat shemonah and nearby cities which was provoking the Israelis during this turbulent time for the lebanese people, to maintain peace in southern lebanon.
   
   Ina few other places he tries to place more blame on Israel rather than sharing it with the palestinian people, a product of his upbringing more than malicious intent.
   
   However Sari Nusseibeh is not Hamas and not an islamic fundamentalist. He isa two-state solution advocate who writes mostly about using non-violent disobedience. As the reader I wondered, if more palestinians were like Nusseibeh perhaps the world opinion would change towards them? But Nusseibeh DIDNT grow up in a refugee camp, was educated at Oxford and Harvard, and lived a different life than the majority of palestinians.
   
   So perhaps palestinians as a whole dont see life as he does? And maybe this book is as much a minority views as that of the suicide bombers?
   
   Hopefully not, because Nusseibeh portrays himself as a peace seeker. and thats what is needed in Israel and Palestine.



2. The writer knows a country we know very little about. I loved learning about the people of Palestine and their culture from a non-politicized source.



3. This book forms part of a larger group of first person memoirs by wealthy Palestinians (Out of Place: A Memoir andPalestine: A Personal History andThis Side of Peace: A Personal Account and Strangers in the House: Coming of Age in Occupied Palestine). Sari Nusseibeh was born in 1949 in Demascus, and was descended from one of the wealthiest and most aristocratic Jerusalemite family (along with the Hussaynis, Nasashibis, Khalidis and Dajanis). He studied at Oxford and received a Phd in Islamic Philosophy from Harvard and moved to the West Bank in 1978 to teach as Bir Zeit University. Later he would be President of Al Quds ('the Holy') University.
   
   He has lived a life devoted to being anti-Israeli and at the same time a 'peace' activist. His memoir is one long diatribe about his reighteousness, his love of Islam("How could a civilized nation rooted in palestine for welel over a thousand yeats be so easily plucked out and chased away at gunpoint"-surely the Jews wondered the same of the Romans and the Byzantines of the Arabs).
   
   He speaks frequently of his "love for Jersualem" a city he did not grow up in, nor was he born in. For Nusseibeh the 'peace' activist Abdel Khader Husseini, who was a terrorist and ambusher of civilian busses, is "the great Abdel Kader el-Husseini". Nusseibeh, despite his obsession with Islam, marries a western woman named Lucy who he then converts to Islam.
   
   Nusseibeh's life is one of wealth and privilidge. While he was sipping tea as a young boy the Millions of Jewish refugees of the Holocaust and the other million tossed out of Islamic countries were living in cramped apartments in Israel. While he was as Harvard, Israelis were working in the fields and the factories. His was a classic life of a Bourgeoisie and like the children of White Russians who spoke of exotic 'mother Russia' and their desire to return, he too shares the yearning for a time gone by, for a new 1939, for a different outcome to the Second World War and the 1948 war. But his father, Anwar Nusseibeh, helped seal the fate of the Palestinians in 1948, Sari's account would have been more honest if, despite all the other factual errors, he at least noted the truth about his family's role.
   
   Seth J. Frantzman
   



4. If you want to understand the immense gulf between Israel and Palestine even among moderates, read this book.



5. This is a truly important book for anyone wishing to understand fully the Arab / Palestinian - Israeli conflict. It sheds tremendous light on very important events, thus far not fully presented from the Palestinian side, especially that of the non rejectionist Palestinian camp. Sari Nusseibeh is a truly visionary man with tremendous courage and is a highly gifted activist and indeed very clever politician despite his own denials.
   
   I have thoroughly enjoyed, and was often moved by, the first half of the book which dealt with the history of Nusseibeh's family and contained his even handed description of the events leading to 1948 and all the way through the 1967 war and his subsequent return to live in Palestine with his British wife. Nusseibeh's portrayal of the lives of the Palestinians between the wars of 1948 and 1967 was very helpful.
   
   In the second half of the book Nusseibeh hammers in, over and over again, on the tacit unspoken alliance of the extremists on both sides and shows how Israel supported the creation of Hamas as a counter weight to the Fateh and PLO. He coherently and very persuasively presents the thought process that he went through to move from the one state solution to the two state solution and demonstrates very effectively the threats that prolonging the conflict would cause to it.
   
   Nusseibeh was often right at the center of things or at least presents himself as such; we see him as a leading figure in standing up to the Israelis and to the Islamists, we see him as the key engine behind the first intefada, or uprising, and we see him winning the respect and approval of Yasir Arafat. In this, second, half, this book moves from being a truly exceptional account of the personal and family history more into an aggrandizing politician's memoir. This should not reduce nor detract from the tremendous personal sacrifice and commitment Nusseibeh made to his cause.
   
   I have heard of the peace work of Dr. Nusseibeh and read some of his articles and interview for some years and while I admire him more than any other Palestinian public figure, this book troubled me in a number of ways. Unlike the other three Palestinian memoirs, originally written in English, that I have read (Gada Karami, Fay Kenfani & Edward Said) Nusseibeh sought to justify every action he has ever taken, to defend his various historic positions and to settle the scores with those of differing views. Most unlike the other three biographies, the book contained virtually no retrospective sole searching whatsoever and important topics such as his obvious passion and skill for politics vs. his academic eccentric persona were packaged for the purpose rather than thought through. Nusseibeh repeatedly simply presented himself as the reluctant professor, yet left us wondering about his very savvy organizational, political and survival skills. He seemed to know exactly how to deal with wily old Arafat, Hamas, the Israeli intelligence and the various factions of the PLO yet retain the freedom to advance his own agenda as well as build important relationships with Israelis.
   
   The tremendous heights, in which, Nusseibeh holds his father, a former Governor of Jerusalem, ambassador and member of cabinet gives the feeling of an immature biography lacking in the distance to be objective. Indeed the first half of the book contains rework of the some of the father's own unpublished memoirs. Obvious points such as the father's commitment to an idealistic form of pan Arabism, albeit non Bathist and non Nasserist, and Nusseibeh own movement into being Palestinian nationalist, seeing Palestine being in natural alliance with Israel did not cause him to reflect further on the role and thinking of his father. A respectful critique and contrast of the views would have enhanced and not hindered the understanding of his father and need not be disloyal to his memory.
   
   Most grating perhaps is the competitiveness displayed with other Palestinian peace advocates and the various attempts at discrediting them. This was particularly evident in describing the efforts that led to the Geneva Accord, which Nusseibeh referred as the plan by the name of the Israeli negotiator, thus marginalizing the Palestinian partner. At some point Nusseibeh clearly fell out with Hanan Ashrawi and Dr. Barghouti, both articulate advocates of the Palestinian cause and for peace and coexistence with Israel, he made his disdain of them very obvious and has not troubled himself to analyze their positions even in retrospect.

5 comments about iWoz: Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It.

1. I bought this book about a year ago when I had recently been laid off and wanted to introduce some new ideals into my brain.
   
   I read the Second Coming of Steve Jobs, which showed how a man can be a cutthroat and succeed.
   
   iWoz however, shows how a man can find success doing something he loves, and not get hung up on money or power.
   
   After initially reading the book I thought it was kind of blah, but after seeing more of Woz in person and in various bios, I truly appreciate how genius he truly is.
   
   Excellent read for anyone seeking innovation and drive, because Woz clearly has it!



2. My wife and I have been really enjoying listing to the 'Audible unabridged version' The father - son relationship is very interesting. A lot of very nice insights. It is quite a bit of fun to listen to the book as we are driving on trips. Highly recommended!



3. As an early adopter of the TRS-80 (1978) and later Apple II I have been an avid reader of much history of this period. There are great nuggets of inside events in this book but a little too much of Woz's philosophy and not as much new as I had hoped. The tech info was great though some of it a bit hard to follow which might be understandable of a proven genius telling his story.



4. I enjoyed reading this book but like others, I found it annoying at times. It is an autobiography. Most of the book is about boring details of Steve Wozniak's life. His account of how Apple Computer started and how the Apple I and II where created is very interesting, unfortunately it is a very small part of the book. It was very annoying reading his constant bragging about how humble he is.
   
   The book gave me a better understanding of early PC history and the history of Apple. I also wanted to learn more about a guy I consider a hero. I did learn more about Woz but I must say that based on what I learned from this book I respect him a lot less than before.



5. I'm a mac user, and I always wanted to know how Woz lived all Apple's building process.
   It's a great biography and really enjoyable to read. All is written in a very friendly way.
   I really recommend it. It's a piece of computer history, I think, all geeks should know.

5 comments about My Life at Grey Gardens: 13 Months and Beyond.

1. Welcome back to Grey Gardens! I just received this from Amazon last night, and I am 1/2 through it already!It truly IS a page turner. A must for all fans of these fabulously eccentric,and theatrical ladies.It is a light,diary-entry style read.It will hold your interest, for sure. These women were fascinating characters, Lois Wright included.How wonderful it would have been to know Big and Little Edie.However, we must settle for just reading about them here,in this gem of a tell-all.I agree with the other reviewer....No mention of Jerry Torre (The Marble Fawn), was strange, as he seemed to be an integral part of Grey Gardens machine.



2. Having been a fan of the play and documentary I found this book to be very revealing and touching at the same time.



3. An interesting remembrance of months living at Grey Gardens by an offbeat friend of the Beales. Would be helpful to have read, which I have, or viewed the DVD Grey Gardens before reading this book. An interesting view of these most unusual mother and daughter combination.



4. Jackie O's aunt and cousin lived in a Munster-type mansion in East Hampton. Edith Bouvier Beale (or 'Big Edie') was the sister of Black Jack Bouvier. Edie had a daughter, 'Little Edie', and both lived in harmony and dis-harmony in the ramshackle old house. Author Lois Wright, artist of questionable talent and palm reader, lived with the ladies for 13 months. The book is based on Wright's journal, which she kept during the 1970's. Big Edie, who was bedridden upstairs, had cats and the cats had fleas. Wright described the agony of the fleas, as well as raccoons climbing out of the ceiling (which Little Edie fed daily) and rats that jumped on the author and Little Edie on occasion. Wright wore boots and a hat 24/7 to ward off most of the critters. Newspapers were placed on beds, on floors, even in the Edies bathtub for the cats. Nevertheless, they were allowed to "go" where they pleased. If a cat or kitten died, Big Edie kept it on her bed for a couple of days, covered with a Kleenex. Contrary to past publicity, Jackie O and Ari stepped in and helped her relatives - Ari sending gifts, Jackie paying bills. The eccentricities of the three ladies are well worth reading about in this mesmerizing page-turner (Wright seemed a bit 'off' herself.) Just to let you be aware that there are DVDs available about Grey Gardens, starring the Beales, that are excellent. It brings Ms. Wright's pages to life, which completes their picture.



5. I have to give this book three stars just because the writer shared her experiences with the public. But considering, as she tells us, that she ended up taking two of the many ghosts in the Grey Gardens house with her when she was packing to return to her home...Well, you don't get a lot of objective observation. You don't get much extra insight about Grey Gardens. What she writes about is pretty much what you already saw in the film "Grey Gardens." I hoped to learn more about the rooms and what happened to all the furniture. She treats her stay there as just another day in the life of and with no one in particular. REAL disappointment.